Each term our Kampers get to experience the pinnacle of Kamp sports through each of our tournaments. Our tournaments are on both boy’s and girl’s side of Kamp and they take place throughout an entire day. One of our favorites here at K-1 is our March Madness Basketball Tournament, where our Kampers are put onto basketball teams named after the best college teams, just like a real NCAA Tournament. Throughout the day each tribe is divided into a bracket where the teams will play in order to see who will play for the National Championship Game. Every Kamper gets the opportunity to play in this high stakes tribe tournament.

That evening, after dinner, the festivities take place. We first start with an All-Star Game where the best players from each team get to compete on a team of all stars against the other tribe’s best. With spirit points on the line, both sides are all about being hype and intense. Our Kampers who cheer the loudest and show the most sportsmanship are asked to come watch the game from an “MVP Couch” where soda and candy are handed out. During breaks, we have plenty of fun side competitions like a three-point contest, skills competition, and a game of royalty knockout. Before our Championship game takes place, our Kampers are announced one-by-one on each team like a real championship game. They run down an aisle of their tribe and counselors cheering them on. The ball is tipped at half court, by one of our highly esteemed referees, and the game is on. The game is always a close one with lots of cheering because the tribal points to be won are a huge part of who will win the term. During halftime our staff puts on a professional grade performance to entertain the Kampers as the teams huddle up, get some water, and talk strategy. When the second half starts, our Kampers ramp up the cheering as the final whistle draws closer. When the final buzzer sounds and the game is all over, we crown our champions by putting a ladder out so they can cut down the nets. The champions are welcomed in the dining hall with pizza and candy before they go to bed.

Our tournaments give our Kampers a unique opportunity to both compete and show support for their tribe. We try to convey that in order to be a good sport you have to not only play hard, but cheer hard as well. Our Kampers love the tournaments because it allows the whole Kamp to rally around the joy of competition. Win or lose though, we are happy because it’s all about fun.